Sunday, 17 August 2014

A present from the trustees of the Imperial College Healthcare Charity Art Collection.

Once a month I visit oncology at Charing Cross Hospital.It's not the best of days and I also have to wait for some really expensive medication. That takes a long time and I hand in to the inpatients pharmacy a big fat sharps bin full of used needles.Every visit there is a changing display of art - cutting edge, traditional, boring, exiting, challenging, beautiful, terrible, wonderful. They come from the wonderful Imperial College Healthcare Art Collection which has made my visits to Charing Cross Hospital less bad.Here they are;

Imperial College Healthcare Charity Art Collection brings works of art into our hospitals in a visually stimulating and vibrant way that enhances the health care environment for patients, staff and visitors. The Collection has established a reputation as one of London's leading hospital art collections. Our aim is to change the way the hospital environment is experienced; to transform a clinical and often intimidating space into a bright, uplifting place where visual art is promoted for the enjoyment of all.

We celebrate and promote good practice and innovation in all aspects of art in the health care setting. We seek to provide new situations for contemporary art in our hospitals and, by expanding the ways in which art is experienced, encourage people to broaden their understanding of art. The art initiatives are funded by the Imperial College Healthcare Charity, with additional funds provided by other sources for specific projects. We have secured funding from the National Lottery through the Arts Council England and are grateful for the generosity of others, including Tate, artists and collectors in providing loans of paintings and sculpture.
Art is displayed in public areas and wards at Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte's, St Mary's and the Western Eye hospitals. The Collection is strong in modern and contemporary British art, with works by artists including Gillian Ayres, Peter Blake, Patrick Caulfield, Gary Hume, Paul Huxley, Julian Opie, Bridget Riley, and Bill Woodrow. On our website, you can find out more about the Collection, our activities and special events.Here's their website;http://www.imperialcharity.org.uk/art-collections

I was wandering while I waited for a computer to say yes to my medication.One of the corridors, leading to a place none of us wants to go to has just been decorated with a huge display of historic London Underground and Great Western Railway posters.

They aren't originals (they would cost about £1500 each) but they are nice reproductions handsomely framed. And while I prefer modern art, no one could dislike these wonderful images.A sheer joy.This one is not so very old, I can remember seeing it. The others are out of another world.A wonderful present from the Trustees.Neil Harris(a don't stop till you drop production)